The offseason has just about concluded, and it’s time for one of our favorite end of the offseason activities: team grades. I didn’t use a bell curve on these, so if there are a few teams with the same grade, that’s why – the grade reflects what the team did, not what the team did compared to the rest of the league.
Also, when several prospects were acquired or dealt in trades, only the more significant names are mentioned. The same is true for minor league free agents – only the more significant names are mentioned.
Arizona Diamondbacks: B+
Players in: Rubby de la Rosa, Jeremy Hellickson, Gerald Laird, Nick Punto, Robbie Ray, Yasmany Tomas, Allen Webster
Players out: Didi Gregorius, Wade Miley, Miguel Montero, Joe Paterson, Clayton Richard, Zeke Spruill
Comments: I’ll give Dave Stewart and company some love in the first offseason of the post-Towers/Gibson era. Dumping all of Miguel Monterto’s contract on the Cubs was a masterstoke, no matter what they got in return from Chicago and now matter how ugly their catching situation looks in 2015. The trade of Wade Miley to the Red Sox seemed like more of a move to clear some salary and add some depth, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I also liked the Jeremy Hellickson acquisition from the Rays – he could be a steal for Arizona this winter. The signing of Yasmany Tomas is a high-risk, high-reward situation, and could pay huge dividends for the Diamondbacks down the line.
Atlanta Braves: A-
Players in: Zoilo Almonte, Manny Banuelos, John Buck, Alberto Callaspo, Mike Foltynewicz, Max Fried, Jason Grilli, Tyrell Jenkins, Jim Johnson, Kelly Johnson, Nick Markakis, Shelby Miller, Josh Outman, Jace Peterson, A.J. Pierzynski, Rio Ruiz, Wandy Rodriguez, Eric Stults, Arodys Vizcaino
Players out: Brandon Beachy, Emilio Bonifacio, David Carpenter, Ryan Doumit, Gavin Floyd, Evan Gattis, Cory Gearrin, David Hale, Aaron Harang, Jason Heyward, Tommy La Stella, Gerald Laird, Kris Medlen, Ramiro Pena, Ervin Santana, Gus Schlosser, Chasen Shreve, Justin Upton, Anthony Varvaro, Jonny Venters, Jordan Walden
Comments: The Braves are going to be awful in 2015, but after their offseason started with a whimper, it picked up in a hurry. Look at all of that turnover from last year’s roster – simply absurd. The Braves added young pitching by the bucketload, and even if only a couple of those arms pan out, their rotation will be in good shape in the future. As for the major league signings the Braves made, the only one with any sort of risk is that of Nick Markakis, signed to a four-year deal despite coming off of an offseason neck surgery.
Baltimore Orioles: C-
Players in: J.P. Arencibia, Ryan Lavarnway, Chris Parmelee, Nolan Reimold, Travis Snider, Wesley Wright
Players out: Alexi Casilla, Nelson Cruz, Nick Hundley, Kelly Johnson, Steve Lombardozzi, Nick Markakis, Andrew Miller, Joe Saunders
Comments: The reigning AL East champions took it on the chin this winter. They lost long-time Oriole Nick Markakis to the Braves, dynamite trade deadline acquisition Andrew Miller to the Yankees, and offensive powerhouse Nelson Cruz to the Mariners. Buck Showalter shouldn’t have much trouble replacing Miller in his bullpen (because he’s Buck Showalter, bullpen whisperer), but it seems like a gamble to count on Travis Snider and Steve Pearce (again) to replace Markakis and Cruz in the lineup.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Hanley Ramirez #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits an RBI single against the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 10, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Boston Red Sox: B
Players in: Ryan Hanigan, Justin Masterson, Wade Miley, Alexi Ogando, Rick Porcello, Hanley Ramirez, Robbie Ross, Pablo Sandoval, Zeke Spruill, Anthony Varvaro
Players out: Burke Badenhop, Yoenis Cespedes, Rubby de la Rosa, Jonathan Herrera, Ryan Lavarnway, Will Middlebrooks, Anthony Ranaudo, David Ross, Allen Webster, Alex Wilson
Comments: Boston was quite busy this winter, but how much better are they, really? Pablo Sandoval will be a huge upgrade at third base, but given the team’s plethora of outfield depth, can outfield novice Hanley Ramirez really take Boston by storm? The Sox also upgraded their rotation by adding Justin Masterson, Wade Miley, and Rick Porcello, but they lack a bonafide top of the rotation guy. They could have done a lot worse this winter, but given the state of the AL East, I understand where they’re coming from.
Chicago Cubs: A
Players in: Chris Denorfia, Dexter Fowler, Jason Hammel, Tommy La Stella, Jon Lester, Miguel Montero, Jason Motte
Players out: John Baker, Kyuji Fujikawa, Ryan Kalish, James McDonald, Justin Ruggiano, Dan Straily, Luis Valbuena, Carlos Villanueva, Arodys Vizcaino, Wesley Wright
Comments: The Cubs needed a catcher, and they got a good one in Miguel Montero for not much more than money. They added to their rotation with Jon Lester and, after a late summer sabbatical in Oakland, Jason Hammel. The acquisition of Dexter Fowler filled center field for a year and let Arismandy Alcantara get his feet wet at multiple positions while also clearing third base for Kris Bryant in 2015. The Cubs are going to be a blast to watch this year, even if they’re not contenders.
Chicago White Sox: A-
Players in: Gordon Beckham, Emilio Bonifacio, Rob Brantly, Tony Campana, Melky Cabrera, Jesse Crain, Zach Duke, Dan Jennings, George Kottaras, Adam LaRoche, Brad Penny, David Robertson, Jeff Samardzija, Geovany Soto
Players out: Chris Bassitt, Ronald Belisario, Jordan Danks, Paul Konerko, Matt Lindstrom, Felipe Paulino, Josh Phegley, Andre Rienzo, Marcus Semien
Comments: Chicago baseball had a pretty good winter, huh? The White Sox will have a smaller window than the Cubs, but did a whole lot to improve their club this offseason. Adam LaRoche will serve as a much better caddy to Jose Abreu than the now-retired Paul Konerko did last year. David Robertson helps shore up a perennially awful bullpen, which Jesse Crain, Zach Duke, and Dan Jennings will also hopefully do. Melky Cabrera gives Abreu some more lineup protection. Jeff Samardzija gives Chris Sale and Jose Quintana some help in the rotation. It could all fall apart for the White Sox if Samardzija leaves town in a year, but at least they’re trying.
ATLANTA, GA – JULY 20: Marlon Byrd #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a ninth inning solo home run against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on July 20, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
Cincinnati Reds: C
Players in: Burke Badenhop, Brennan Boesch, Marlon Byrd, Anthony DeSclafani, Kevin Gregg, Matt Magill, Paul Maholm, Eugenio Suarez
Players out: Jack Hannahan, Chris Heisey, Mat Latos, Ben Lively, Ryan Ludwick, Logan Ondrusek, Ramon Santiago, Alfredo Simon
Comments: What a strange winter for Cincinnati. They essentially replaced Ryan Ludwick in their outfield with Marlon Byrd (which is good!), replaced Mat Latos in their rotation with Anthony DeSclafani (which is much less good!), and…upgraded their bullpen and bench? That’s great and all, but this is still a team that lost 86 games last year. Instead of going with the full-fledged rebuild, Walt Jocketty is seemingly trying to hedge his bets on 2015 and hope the Reds can contend with nearly the same club as last year. When your main path to contention is based upon two 30-something hitters staying healthy and rebounding, I wouldn’t be too optimistic about your chances.
Cleveland Indians: B-
Players in: Scott Downs, Gavin Floyd, Shaun Marcum, Brandon Moss, Michael Roth
Players out: Jason Giambi, Joe Wendle
Comments: Cleveland didn’t have a bad winter. They just didn’t do much. And quite frankly, they didn’t *need* to. They got good value with the Brandon Moss trade, picked up some potential rotation depth in Gavin Floyd and Shaun Marcum…and that’s it. Yeah they couldn’t move Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, but there weren’t many teams that were easily able to trade their ugly contracts. I can’t hold Chris Antonetti’s offseason against him.
Colorado Rockies: F
Players in: John Axford, Roger Bernadina, Daniel Descalso, David Hale, Nick Hundley, Kyle Kendrick, John Lannan, Gus Schlosser
Players out: Brett Anderson, Matt Belisle, Rafael Betancourt, Michael Cuddyer, Nick Masset, Franklin Morales, Juan Nicasio, Josh Rutledge
Comments: Good lord, Rockies. I don’t know how anyone could look at this 96-loss team and think “you know what? Let’s make some low quality additions this winter, and not do much of anything else!” The Rockies didn’t trade Carlos Gonzalez. They didn’t trade Troy Tulowitzki. Hell, they didn’t even trade any of their extra outfield depth (Charlie Blackmon, Corey Dickerson, Drew Stubbs). Colorado’s plan for 2015 seems to be “hope CarGo and Tulo both finally stay healthy, and hope the pitching isn’t awful, and hope the Giants, Dodgers, and Padres all struggle”. Not inspiring.
KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the Boston Red Sox hits a sacrifice fly in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Detroit Tigers: C+
Players in: Yoenis Cespedes, Tom Gorzelanny, Anthony Gose, Shane Greene, Alfredo Simon, Alex Wilson, Josh Zeid
Players out: Joba Chamberlain, Phil Coke, Andy Dirks, Torii Hunter, Jim Johnson, Don Kelly, Rick Porcello, Robbie Ray, Max Scherzer, Eugenio Suarez
Comments: When a team loses a player like Max Scherzer, it’s going to take a pretty big move for me to be encouraged by their winter. The Tigers didn’t really make that big move. They upgraded in left with Yoenis Cespedes, but that cost them Rick Porcello. Alfredo Simon is effectively replacing Porcello, and Shane Greene will essentially replace Scherzer. Those three players were Detroit’s big splashes this winter, and their other acquisitions were mostly bench and bullpen help (though Anthony Gose will probably play more often than not in the outfield, replacing Torii Hunter). The AL Central is going to be tough this year, and Detroit’s firm grasp on the division crowd may be slipping after their bland winter.
Houston Astros: B
Players in: Hank Conger, Evan Gattis, Luke Gregerson, Jed Lowrie, Pat Neshek, Colby Rasmus, Dan Straily, Luis Valbuena
Players out: Anthony Bass, Paul Clemens, Carlos Corporan, Jesse Crain, Mike Foltynewicz, Dexter Fowler, Marc Krauss, Rio Ruiz, Nick Tropeano, Jose Veras, Josh Zeid
Comments: My opinions are a little mixed on Houston’s winter, but overall, they did quite good. I think they overpaid for Evan Gattis, and I have no idea where he’ll end up playing every day, but he’ll combine with Chris Carter and George Springer to create an absurd amount of right-handed power in the Astros’ lineup. Luis Valbuena will be a solid third baseman for them, especially when compared to the pitiful Matt Dominguez. Jed Lowrie will also help upgrade the left side of that infield. Colby Rasmus was a good one-year value buy. Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek should help improve the bullpen. All in all, a solid winter – but I’m not sure if it was the right course of action for this team, in this year, in this division.
Kansas City Royals: C-
Players in: Brian Flynn, Ryan Madson, Kendrys Morales, Alex Rios, Ryan Roberts, Edinson Volquez
Players out: Nori Aoki, Billy Butler, Aaron Crow, Scott Downs, Johnny Giavotella, Raul Ibanez, Jayson Nix, James Shields, Josh Willingham
Comments: I’m not sure I know what in the hell the AL champions were doing. Replacing James Shields with the pumpkin-like Edinson Volquez could end up being a disaster. Alex Rios got a ridiculous amount of money on a one-year deal, and while Nori Aoki wasn’t great last year, he was better than Rios. There’s also the addition of Kendrys Morales, which makes no sense after his simply dreadful 2014. Are the Royals now the fourth-best team in the AL Central? It’s quite possible.
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 16: Andrew Heaney #25 of the Miami Marlins throws a pitch in the eighth inning during a game against the New York Mets on September 16, 2014 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: B
Players in: Drew Butera, Johnny Giavotella, Andrew Heaney, Marc Krauss, Ryan Mattheus, Cesar Ramos, Josh Rutledge, Nick Tropeano
Players out: Gordon Beckham, Brennan Boesch, John Buck, Sean Burnett, Tony Campana, Hank Conger, Jason Grilli, Luis Jimenez, Howie Kendrick, John McDonald, Michael Roth, Ian Stewart, Joe Thatcher
Comments: The Angels didn’t really move all that many pieces around this winter – they’re seemingly going with an open competition at second base to replace Howie Kendrick, and add the talented Andrew Heaney to the back of their rotation. Aside from that, you’re looking at a few depth moves from Anaheim. In other words, they’re still one of the best teams in baseball, and didn’t rock the boat.
Los Angeles Dodgers: B+
Players in: Brett Anderson, Erik Bedard, Yasmani Grandal, Chris Hatcher, Chris Heisey, Kike Hernandez, Howie Kendrick, Brandon McCarthy, Juan Nicasio, Joel Peralta, Jimmy Rollins, Sergio Santos, Joe Wieland
Players out: Josh Beckett, Chad Billingsley, Drew Butera, Kevin Correia, Tim Federowicz, Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Roberto Hernandez, Matt Kemp, Matt Magill, Paul Maholm, Chris Perez, Hanley Ramirez, Miguel Rojas, Brian Wilson, Jamey Wright
Comments: Andrew Friedman had a damn good first winter with the Dodgers. He got rid of one of his three painful outfield contracts in Matt Kemp. He sold high on Dee Gordon and upgraded the Dodgers up the middle. He was willing to eat money to simply make terrible relievers go away. Furthermore, Friedman vastly upgraded the Dodgers bullpen and turned their rotation into an absolute meat grinder past Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. So why don’t get the Dodgers get a better grade? Well, Friedman spent like a drunken sailor, and a lot can go wrong. He ate a ton of money to make players go away. He over-spent on Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy. Andre Ethier is still hanging around. There’s a difference between “upgrading efficiently” and “spending a massive amount of money to upgrade”, and Friedman dangerously straddled that line this winter.
Miami Marlins: B+
Players in: Reid Brignac, Tyler Colvin, Aaron Crow, Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Don Kelly, Mat Latos, Nick Masset, Michael Morse, David Phelps, Martin Prado, Andre Rienzo, Miguel Rojas, Scott Sizemore, Ichiro Suzuki
Players out: Rob Brantly, Anthony DeSclafani, Nate Eovaldi, Brian Flynn, Rafael Furcal, Kevin Gregg, Chris Hatcher, Andrew Heaney, Dan Jennings, Reed Johnson, Garrett Jones, Ed Lucas, Casey McGehee, Brad Penny
Comments: Miami’s offseason isn’t without risk, but they did very well overall. They’ll have new starters at three of four infield positions, a completely new bench, two new starting pitchers. and a few different faces in the bullpen. Furthermore, they didn’t move many assets to upgrade across the board – Nate Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney were the two most significant names sent packing by the Marlins this winter. With the NL East resembling a dumpster fire behind the Nationals, Miami’s upgrades could conceivably lead to a Wild Card spot in 2015.
